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A beauty salon manager oversees cosmetology-related services and ensures that the salon is clean, organized and well-staffed. As the manager, you may also perform services like cutting, coloring and styling hair if you have credentials to do so. Unless you own the salon, you'll likely be expected to report to the owner information such as revenue, budget needs, staffing changes, clientele satisfaction, inventory issues and salon upkeep. A salon manager wears many hats, but the job responsibilities are often fun and rewarding.

Client Satisfaction

One of the most important roles of a salon manager is to keep a strong client base and ensure customer satisfaction. As a salon manager, you must talk to clients with a friendly tone and engage them in conversation. If a client is disgruntled with a cosmetic service, address her with a polite and apologetic response, making every attempt to resolve the issue. Greet customers when they enter the salon, making eye contact and showing genuine interest in their beauty care needs.

Salon Upkeep

Customers notice if a salon is dirty, disorganized and in need of repair. Managers must ensure the facilities are well-maintained. As the manager, establish policies that require your cosmetologists to sweep up hair after every cut, organize their workspace and discard trash. Hire a professional cleaning staff to clean the floors, bathrooms, sink areas and mirrors on a regular basis. You can creatively design the waiting area so current reading materials and comfortable seating are available to your clients.

Staff Hiring and Supervision

A salon manager is responsible for hiring and supervising staff. When you interview job candidates, ask them to provide their cosmetology credentials and verify their work experience. It's advisable to request a job-related reference to ensure there are no job-related concerns. As the staff supervisor, you must ensure that employees dress according to salon standards, conduct themselves professionally and follow salon rules. When these standards aren't met, the responsibility falls on you to reprimand or fire the offending employee.

Financial Policies

As part of the job description, a salon manager must adhere to the owner's financial policies and ensure that all cosmetologists follow those guidelines. In some salons, a hairdresser pays a monthly fee for the salon space and in others, she pays a portion of her sales. Depending on the financial structure of the salon, cosmetologists may be required to report tips. As the manager, you must keep financial records, make deposits, issue payroll, pay vendors and ensure salon invoices are paid. Accounting software can help you report and track all of this information.

Inventory Management

Product sales are a significant part of managing a beauty salon. To ensure that shampoos, conditioners, styling products and other cosmetics are available for customer purchase, you must keep inventory of your product lines. Inventory lets you know what products are most popular and what products need to be ordered and re-stocked. You also need products for in-store salon use, so it's best to keep a separate inventory for those product demands. Computer software can also help with inventory reporting and assessment.

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About the Author

As curriculum developer and educator, Kristine Tucker has enjoyed the plethora of English assignments she's read (and graded!) over the years. Her experiences as vice-president of an energy consulting firm have given her the opportunity to explore business writing and HR. Tucker has a BA and holds Ohio teaching credentials.